X Box - Study: Gaming fulfills basic psychological needs Imagine this: it's 3:30

Study: Gaming fulfills basic psychological needs
Imagine this: it's 3:30 a.m. and the lights are out. In front of the television, locked in his room, is a hardcore gamer. Eyes red and palms sweaty, he's already loss track of the time. All he could think of is the futuristic AK-47 on his right hand and the enemies lurking in the shadows. He's forty five years old.

Creepy, huh? Certainly, we are all not like that. But the point is, games has this certain charm that is painful to let go of. Sure, we know how fun it is to play games, but the psychologists over at the University of Rochester kicked it up a notch for us.

According to their latest study, the fun of playing games is actually rooted in fulfilling basic psychological needs.The study was done in collaboration with Immersyve, Inc., a virtual environment think tank. More than 1,000 players served as the population and the systems utilized in the study included various consoles and some MMORPGs. Study lead author Richard M. Ryan has this brief explanation:

We think there's a deeper theory than the fun of playing. It's our contention that the psychological 'pull' of games is largely due to their capacity to engender feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Some video games not only motivate further play but also can be experienced as enhancing psychological wellness at least short-term. Not all video games are created equal in their ability to satisfy basic psychological needs. But those that do may be the best at keeping players coming back.

The study was published in the university's journal Motivation and Emotion. Other co-authors include graduate student Andrew Przybylski and President of Immersyve and Doctor of Psychology Scott Rigby. And so with that said, gamers unite! Go and fulfill your psychological needs!

Masterful handling: A Winning Eleven 2007 gameplay vid
Ever seen someone completely psyche out his competition by doing something so outrageous that it seems physically impossible? For some men, such things fall in the realm of relationships. For others, it's good ol' Pele driving the ball down the field and firing a well-placed bicycle kick past the keeper.

Of course, we don't necessarily have those things, unless you're also an athlete. As gamers, we have a duty to follow our icons by playing the games they love. Of these, soccer is one of those punishing games that forces you to run around, be good with your feet, and do a victory dance every time you score a goal. Yeesh.

Konami's Winning Eleven 2007 game will be in the US in a few more weeks. Perhaps it's time we celebrate its coming. Let us enjoy this well-played video of the game and think fondly of the memories of our childhood. So long as we never have to step anywhere near the real thing, we surely won't have to think about how those soccer players will always get the girls in the end.

Need the info
Does the Action Replay coffee code mess with your saved game.
dragonruler666

Gears of War for dum...err...beginners

Gears of War is arguably one of the better multi-players games for the Xbox 360. After all, nothing's more fun than going online with the posse to blast the next newbie logging on. That is, unless you're the said wet-nose who's been turned into meat sauce.

GoW can be a very scary place for the new guy, and with that in mind, we're offering help in the guise of this survival guide we picked up from a couple of gaming vets on the net. Remember the list, young pups - it could save your life.

Stick with the team:
You've seen this in the movies: Never run off on your own. Always stay with the pack, and keep your team updated on your status and your current weapon.

Starting moves:
Matches always start with a run for the weapons, Unreal-style. Take this opportunity to plan your strategy. For those unfamiliar with the map, tail one of your vets to feel your way around.

Learn to bug out:
Sometimes, you just have to run. Remember to use the"A" key when making a break for it, and head for your teammates or a safe-zone. Don't look at it as running away - think of it as a "strategic withdrawal."

Animation:
When an enemy lets rip the chainsaw, they're invulnerable to most weapons during the starting animation. The best thing to do here is wait, then flank them. As soon as their animation ends, try using your own lancer to rip 'em a new one from behind.

When to revive:
If you're in a two-on-two battle and your buddy dies, press on the attack. Stopping to patch up your downed buddy will just make you an open target. Not to mention your partner will be doubly pissed if/when you drop.

These tips won't make you invincible - even the best get fragged often. But they will improve your survivability, ensuring you frag your enemies more than they frag you. For the vets reading up on this post, feel free to add your own pointers for the new guys. Remember to have fun, guys!

Worms HD soon to burrow into Xbox Live Arcade

Alright folks, polish up those Holy Hand Grenades as the game Worms is coming!

That's right, the invasion is imminent and resistance is futile (wrong movie reference, I know) as Team17's Martyn "Spadge" Brown has just announced that they are already in the final stages of game development and that they only need to hunt down and squash the few remaining bugs.

In the meantime, those lucky few who can help in the debugging process can already start testing the title via Microsoft's Xbox Live developer system Partner Net. And yes, those guys are indeed lucky as Spadge and his team have somehow managed to squeeze the full game into the 50MB XBLA limit.

Spadge also adds that they are hoping to make a final announcement by January of 2007, and that they are now working on future downloadable content (new maps, maybe?).

So while we wait to download the game, enjoy the screenshots of some high-def Worms from Xbox Attitude!

Online GTA
If your'e looking for an online GTA and you have the computer games, Multi Theft Auto will suit your needs. It's online GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas.
chicken_chunks